Bucks center Samuel Dalembert poses for a photo with head coach Scott Skiles (left) and general manager John Hammond before a news conference Monday.

It was more than a decade ago that a young Haitian center took his first brave steps into the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Samuel Dalembert learned his lessons well, starting with a demanding coach in Larry Brown. Also providing a few pointers for the rookie were 76ers guard Allen Iverson and shot-blocking center Dikembe Mutombo.

Now Dalembert is the veteran at age 31, hoping to help the Bucks reach their playoff goal while also mentoring young big men Larry Sanders, Ekpe Udoh and rookie John Henson.

The 6-foot-11 Dalembert was acquired from Houston in a trade last week, a move made to fill the gaping hole in the middle left by the departure of center Andrew Bogut, who was traded to Golden State in March.

"I never thought I would be a Milwaukee Buck," Dalembert said. "They've always got a big man and there was no need for me here.

"When the opportunity presented itself, I was honored."

Dalembert remembers those early lessons from Mutombo, the finger-wagging big man from Zaire and four-time NBA defensive player of the year.

"I got a lot of elbows from him, too. After a while, you can only get better. It worked out for me. I didn't get a chance to really play (as a rookie). But I had to learn."

Now the 6-11 Henson, the 14th overall pick in last week's draft and former North Carolina star, can pick up a few tips from Dalembert.

"He reminds me a little of a young me with the long arms," Dalembert said. "Anything I can do to help those guys get better faster, I'm always going to do it.

"It's only going to benefit all of us. Having young guys like that, it's the future. It's not going to be easy in practice. I'm going to go hard, the same way they did to me when I was a rookie.

"Dikembe Mutombo, Derrick Coleman, all these guys. I couldn't take any days off.

"That's what you're going to do; you're going to show them the tough love."

Dalembert spent his first nine seasons with Philadelphia, although he missed one entire year early in his career (2002-'03) due to injury. He was in Sacramento for the 2010-'11 season and played last year with the Rockets, averaging 8.0 points and 8.2 rebounds.

He played in all 82 games each season during his last four seasons in Philadelphia and started 326 of 328 games. He played in 65 games last season while starting 45 for Houston.

The Rockets have offered young center Omer Asik a three-year, $25 million deal in free agency, according to news reports, targeting the Chicago Bulls player as a replacement for Dalembert.

"I'm glad to be here," Dalembert said. "Defense is a priority for coach (Skiles). Offense, I'm there. I've proved I can score, but I always let other guys do what they do best.

"I love running. My strength is more running than the half-court game. I can see this thing really working for us."

Dalembert said he was eager to play with high-scoring guards Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings and reminded everyone that he played successfully with Iverson.

"Being with the Bucks right now, I think that's the piece (center) they miss," Dalembert said.

"I've seen those guys playing (Ellis and Jennings) and they're tremendous players. I've played with some guards like that in Philly. What's working for me is I'm the finishing guy for those guys when people are coming at them and trying to stop them.

"They throw the lobs. When I was in Philly that's what I used to love to do with AI (Iverson).

"Also you protect their back. They're your captain and your core guys, so you make sure you've got their back on the court. Defensive-wise, they always know you've got them. You just go out and put yourself in the right position for them."

Dalembert is known for his work in his native Haiti, where a 7.0 earthquake caused massive devastation in January 2010.

He said he makes as many as five or six trips to his country each year and is working to start a sports academy in Marmont in the central portion of the Caribbean nation. He has donated $1 million to the effort.

"We're hoping to break ground in August or September," Dalembert said of the academy, which will have cultural and educational aspects. "The biggest thing is not building; the biggest thing is maintaining

"I want to start very small and have a place for the kids to go, because there's nothing over there at all. They have no place to play."

Dalembert said the progress has been slow since the earthquake.

"Unfortunately in Haiti so many things happen, disaster after disaster," Dalembert said. "Every time we tend to move forward, something drastic happens.

"After a while we get used to it and feel like it's life and we keep moving on. Right now, progress-wise it's very minimal. It's still people are fighting for the basic stuff, clean water and foods.

"Our country (the U.S.) needs to help out and continue to partner up with different organizations and make improvements."